1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to sensors for electrical switching apparatus and, more particularly, to sensor assemblies for power busses.
2. Background Information
Electrical sensors of various types are used to detect the characteristics (e.g., without limitation, the flow of electrical current; temperature) of a conductor.
Temperatures sensors, for example, are sometimes employed to determine the temperature of the power busses for electrical switching apparatus such as, for example, circuit switching devices and circuit interrupters such as circuit breakers, contactors, motor starters, motor controllers, and other load controllers. Some temperature sensors are wireless and form, for example, part of a wireless temperature sensor assembly that is adapted to transmit signals to a receiver disposed at a remote location. In addition to the temperature sensor itself, such assemblies typically include a power source, such as a number of power coils, and a printed circuit board. It is important to protect these components while simultaneously thermally and mechanically coupling the temperature sensor to the power bus.
One prior proposal has been to at least partially house the electrical components of the sensor assembly within an enclosure, which is coupled to the power bus. However, such enclosures can typically be used only with a particular size (e.g., without limitation, width; thickness) and shape (e.g., without limitation, flat; round) of power bus bar. Consequently, the utility of such sensor assemblies is limited. Known sensor assemblies also tend to be unnecessarily complex in design making it difficult to, for example, adjust (e.g., re-position) the sensor with respect to the power bus, and increasing the cost not only of the sensor assembly itself, but also for the maintenance, replacement and/or repair thereof.
There is, therefore, room for improvement in sensor assemblies for power busses.